Windows Phone Thoughts - Daily News, Views, Rants and Raves

While I have to stress this is really heresay (a rep's opinion doesn't count as official), this isn't completely unexpected given the relative age of the X1. But then again, it demonstrates that manufacturers aren't terribly keen on supporting their own WM devices for very long, something we've had to live with through the last ten years. Which is a shame, since the X1 isn't that dated, and I suspect the hardware is more than up to the demands of WM6.5.

The M20 is a mid-level, half decent handset that really focuses on GPS navigation (as you'd expect). The good news is that like a few recent device releases, the M20 is getting an update to WM6.5. The really bad news is that Garmin-Asus seems to have forgotten two not so insignificant markets - North America and Western Europe - or at least, that's what's implied by the press release. That's just...strange, unless we're really talking about carrier-imposed delays again.

"Sure, you've seen this guy in action in earlier videos... but it's still nice to get a look at this monster up close. We're still blown away by the fact that this is a Windows Mobile 6.5 device -- the skinning job that HTC has done here is nothing short of a miracle."

HTC's Sense-equipped HD2 is one gorgeous Windows Mobile 6.5 device, and Engadget has the eye candy to back it up. Scoot over there and check it out. Anyone planning on picking one up?

If you're a Touch Pro2 user with Vodafone UK and are eager to upgrade to Windows Mobile 6.5, your moment has arrived. The update is free and yours to grab at the Vodafone UK site.

"Can you name them all? Don't worry, it's a lot to keep track of. Clockwise we have the HTC Tilt 2 (AT&T), Toshiba TG01 (not announced for US), HTC Imagio (Verizon), HTC Pure (AT&T), Samsung Intrepid (Sprint) and LG GM750 (not announced for US)."

Engadget has put together a quick video showing us the new Windows Mobile 6.5 phones coming from US carriers. Lots of pics in their gallery.

"We've had access to a Windows Phone running an official Windows Mobile 6.5 build for a few days and found it to be an impressive, stable, responsive operating system. Windows Mobile 6.5 is graphically enhanced with the new Today Screen, colorful icons (or widgets as the youngsters call them) and an overall improvement over Windows Mobile 6.1."

WMExperts has published their review of Windows Mobile 6.5, and they've done a good job of comparing the old and the new, side by side. The new 6.5 interface is certainly prettier, but looking at the above screenshot, you can't help but notice that there's less information presented. Sure, the lock screen will show you your next appointment, but one of the things I've always liked about the Today screen is the amount of information available at a glance. I suppose this evolution is inevitable, as anyone who's used HTC TouchFlo 3D has gotten used to having less information presented on the home screen.

I was reading through some of the comments posted to the WMExperts article, and it got me wondering how many bugs and limitations have been addressed in Windows Mobile 6.5. Has the multi-computer sync story gotten any better? Has there been any improvements to Windows Mobile Device Center? I suspect the answer is "No" in most cases - I think Microsoft is so focused on cloud sync (read: Exchange Server) that they've forgotten that some people still want to connect the phone to their computer.

One can never have too much eye-candy, so feast your eyes on what Engadget has snapped of the AT&T HTC Tilt 2, which looks and feels just like the Touch Pro2. Except, unlike some other Touch Pro2 variants currently on the market, this one's rockin' Windows Mobile 6.5 out of the box. Want one? You only have mere days to wait.

"I think the intent of the Windows Mobile 6.5 release was to provide a more finger friendly user interface on touch screen devices, while non-touchscreen devices remain pretty much the same. I believe there were some backend updates and improvements, but there were not readily apparent. There are four main areas where end users will see changes and these are in the Start menu, lock screen, Today screen, and menus. Let's check out each area in more detail."

My friend the hyper-productive Matt Miller - seriously, how DOES he do it? - has his take on Windows Mobile 6.5. And it's about the same as most of the other reviews we've seen today...there's a general feeling of "Really? This is it?". Apple and Google have shown that significant updates can be made to an operating system on a regular basis, and they've raised the bar of expectation. With 6.5, Microsoft has done the limbo right under that bar...without needing to lean back.

"It's widely acknowledged by users, media, and even Steve Ballmer himself that Windows Mobile is in dire need of a ground-up revamp, and it's happening -- but not quite yet. That's Windows Mobile 7 you're looking for, and realistically, it's not going to be in your pocket for at least another year. That leaves Microsoft in a bit of a pickle: how do you facelift version 6.1 -- which is already a facelift of 6, which in turn was a facelift of 5 -- just enough to eke another year or two of life out of it? Is it even possible? Let's have a look."

Engadget has put together their review of Windows Mobile 6.5, and it's more balanced than the previously linked-to reviews from Gizmodo and Crunchgrear. By "more balanced" I mean it's not just a bunch of trash-talking - author Chris Ziegler does a good job highlighting the pros and cons of what 6.5 brings to the table. There's no escaping the fact thought that as an OS update that is more than 18 months in the making, 6.5 doesn't exactly blow the user away with great new features. Kind of makes you wonder what the Windows Mobile team has been doing all this time, doesn't it? Video after the break. Read more...

"I really didn't want to beat up on WinMo here, because at this point it just feels tired. But man, come on Microsoft, you're giving me no choice. Windows Mobile 6.5 isn't just a letdown-it barely seems done...It's a superficial update, and not a very thorough one. It's an interim product, and a vain attempt to hold onto the thinning ranks people who still choose Windows Mobile despite not being somehow tethered to it until the tardy Windows Mobile 7 comes out, whenever that may be. And it won't work." -Gizmodo Article

"Take a Buick Lasabre. No, no, not a cool one from the late 1950s. Take one from the early 90's, like the ones they use on cop shows. Now, strap a spoiler on it. The Lasabre is Windows Mobile. The Spoiler is all of the stuff 6.5 brings." - Crunchgear Article

I'd love to refute, or at least offer a different opinion, on what Gizmodo and Crunchgear have to say about Windows Mobile 6.5, but I can't. Why is that, you might ask? Because I haven't used Windows Mobile 6.5 on a device, in person. It's not within my ethical framework to use the leaked 6.5 XDA Developer ROM images, so I've spent the past 8+ months trying everything I can think of to get my hands on a Windows Mobile 6.5 beta device through legitimate means. As a 12-year Windows Mobile MVP, as a member of Mobius, as press, as a contract technology writer for Microsoft, etc. Each and every time, I've failed to get my hands on the operating system I'm supposed to be an "expert" on. I've learned more about Windows Mobile 6.5 from YouTube videos created by people using pirated software than from any of the supposed "insider" connections I have. You can imagine how completely ridiculous that makes me feel.

I'm not going to point fingers here, but suffice it to say that it's never been so hard to be an Windows Mobile enthusiast as it is right now. The people who care about connecting with enthusiasts like myself are gone, replaced by people who only look at Alexa rankings and cater to the "big blogs". And that's why you're not seeing any original Windows Mobile 6.5 content on this site: because no one would give me access to what I needed to create it. Is that a harsh reality check or what?

"When Microsoft decided to revive its ailing cellphone software business, it turned to the marketer who came up with the Staples "Easy Button," which speaks the tagline "That was easy" when pushed. Starting Tuesday, Microsoft is introducing a new version of its cellphone operating system, Windows Mobile 6.5, with a barrage of television ads. The star, again, is a button. Not a big red one, but a tiny one on a cellphone, sporting the Windows flag logo."

This article on the New York Times site talks about Microsoft's change in leadership on the Windows Mobile team. Is it too early to judge how well the new leadership is doing? It's hard to say - Todd Peters, the one-time Staples executive who's now the Corporate VP for Mobile Communication Marketing - has been on the Windows Mobile team for a year and a half...certainly long enough to have some impact on Windows Mobile 6.5. However, maybe he's "just" a marketing guy and not the person making the calls on how the operating system is working. Regardless, Peters has his work cut out for him - Windows Mobile 6.5 isn't exactly getting the a warm reception...(more on that later).

In Microsoft's press release today for the Windows Mobile 6.5 launch, there was a section that listed various Windows Phones available around the world, and I thought it would be helpful to re-publish that information here so we could get a handle on which devices are coming out in which markets:

In North America:

• HTC Pure from AT&T
• HTC Imagio from Verizon Wireless
• Samsung Intrepid from Sprint, available Oct. 11, 2009
• HTC Tilt 2 from AT&T, available in the coming weeks

In Latin America:

• Samsung Omnia II available in the coming weeks from TIM Brasil Read more...

It's Windows Mobile 6.5 launch day, and that means that the sites that were lucky enough to get devices are launching their content. Here we have Michael Oryl taking a look at the HTC Imagio on Verizon, and the HTC Pure on AT&T.

"Microsoft today unveiled a new generation of phones from leading manufacturers and mobile operators that offer an intuitive user interface, powerful Web browsing, and access to an online library of downloadable services and applications. Windows® phones - a new brand for phones running Microsoft's Windows Mobile operating system - are now available in retail stores worldwide in a broad range of styles and prices. The new phones were shown at press events in New York, hosted by Robbie Bach, president of Microsoft's Entertainment & Devices Division, and in Paris, where Microsoft chief executive officer Steve Ballmer showed off the new Windows phones. They also announced the availability of two key services platforms for the new phones: My Phone and Windows Marketplace for Mobile. My Phone is a free service that helps people back up and manage photos, applications and other content from their phone or PC, as well as restore information in the event of a lost phone. Windows Marketplace for Mobile is an online library of business and leisure mobile applications - as well as games - that customers can buy and download directly to their phones."

Ladies and Gentlemen, it's official - Windows Mobile (the operating system) is now at version 6.5, and Windows Phones (the devices) are available. Now let's just hope all of us Dash 3G & Touch Pro 2 (As well as other devices) owners get upgrades in a timely manner!

"Due to begin shipping from the 6th October, the Acer F1 is the most superior Windows Mobile 6.5 (Windows Phone) device that will be available upon launch. The competitor to the HTC Touch HD, the Acer F1 will have many advantages as of the 6th October, primarily the Windows Phone 6.5 operating system and 1Ghz processor (double that of the HTC Touch HD)."

Beware of October 6. On one hand, it marks the official release of Windows Mobile 6.5. On the other hand, the sheer number of devices to choose from will surely cause headaches. One such device is the Acer F1, and it's definitely no slouch. The beast packs a Snapdragon chipset clocked at 1 GHz, a 3.8" 480 x 800 touch screen, HSDPA, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS, an FM tuner, and a 5.0-megapixel camera with flash - all of which, unlike the debt-inducing XPERIA X2, is priced at £295 + VAT ($480 USD). Who wants one?

"HTC Corporation today introduced the HTC Touch2, a compact and stylish smartphone that is one of the first Windows phones. Utilizing Windows Mobile 6.5 and new services like Microsoft My Phone and Windows Marketplace for Mobile, HTC Touch2 delivers a full touch experience that enables you to do all the things you want on your phone easily. The Touch2 expands HTC's portfolio of touch-based phones and is focused on delivering an advanced touch experience to a broader group of people."

The new devices just keep on coming. HTC's newest unveiling, the Touch2 (not to be confused with the Touch Diamond2 or Touch Pro2), packs a Qualcomm MSM7225 528 MHz processor, 256 MB RAM, 512 MB ROM, quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE, dual-band (900/2100 MHz) UMTS/HSDPA, 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, GPS, a 3.5 mm audio jack (hurrah!), a 2.8" QVGA (240 x 320) touch screen, a 3.2-megapixel fixed-focus camera, a microSDHC slot, and Windows Mobile 6.5 Professional. Yes, there are a handful of items in that specs list that don't quite live up to the Touch Diamond2's and Touch Pro2's standards, but then this is a mid-range device after all. And it's set to drop in the hands of consumers on - you guessed it - October 6.

Jump the break for a copy of the press release and some additional eye candy.

Read more...

"Microsoft is expected to officially launch Windows Mobile 6.5 on October 1, 2009 and add an upgrade version with a touch interface in February 2010, the sources indicated citing Microsoft roadmap."

So we will get an interim OS version before WM7 is available. That's the good news. The bad news is that the same report states that WM7 will only be launched in Q4 2010, which is really disappointing to put it mildly. A dual-platform strategy to compete with Apple and Google's Android? Fragmenting your product offering and playing to your opponents' strengths doesn't strike me as a winning strategy - Microsoft's got to work harder and faster than this. To quote Terry Pratchett, "Early in the morning? My dear lad, you will need to stay up all night!”

"While WinMo 6.5 build 23022 is still pretty clumsy, those finger-friendly (well, at least, "finger-friendlier," or maybe "not as finger-hostile") buttons grace the bottom of the display, and there is an iPhone-esque magnifying glass option for zooming in on and editing text."

While for many WM6.5 is little more than a half-way house to the complete makeover that is WM7, it still represents an advance over the menu driven UI of WM6.1. Whether that's enough to regain the ground lost against WM's competitors is an open question. Now there's rumours of another interim step between WM6.5 and WM7 that will feature some further finger optimzation including: moving the ok/close button to the bottom, a sliding notification popup tray, and a zoom facility. Are these WM7 features being tested on a WM6.5 build, or signs of a new version of WM6? More important (to me at least), is this a potential sign that WM7 will be delayed? I hope not.

"The INQUIRER has been told that the Windows Phone OS will arrive before Christmas, possibly around the same time as the Vole's public release of the Windows 7 operating system for PCs on October 22."

The Inquirer has what it calls an exclusive first video of the finalized version of Windows Mobile 6.5, which is great if it's confirmed - that means we're still on track for a holiday release for the latest iteration of Windows Mobile. Unfortunately, so many people are hitting the site that The Inquirer are having bandwidth problems. I'd love to comment on this, but I haven't been able to get a peek at the video after over 12 hours of trying, much less try embedding it here. So hit the link for an overview, and let me know what I'm missing!

One of the cool new features of Windows Mobile 6.5 is its support for widgets. The Windows Mobile team has a blog post set up on getting started with your own widgets.

You'll need the WinMo 6.5 emulator images, the development environment of your choosing and Windows Mobile Device Center (Vista) or ActiveSync (XP) to get started. The rest of the instructions are at the blog post. Get cranking on those widgets!